This invention relates to a print control system for use in printing a sequence of variable length data on a report having a plurality of partial print areas specified by rows and columns.
In a conventional print control system of the type described, a variable length data sequence is divided into a plurality of unit sequences which are assigned to a plurality of rows to form a report. The variable length data sequence may include blank data indicative of blanks. Thereafter, each unit sequence is successively printed by a printer row by row. With this structure, it is difficult to allocate the variable length data to optional positions or columns on the report. In addition, superfluous blanks are left on the report even when data are not allocated thereto.
In order to realize the above-mentioned allocation of variable length data or to suppress such superfluous blanks, a complicated program must be prepared for determining a layout of the report. A great deal of labor and expense are inevitably required to prepare such a complicated program. Therefore, the conventional print control system can not usually achieve an optimum layout on the report.
In an actual report necessary for business, variable length data must often be assigned to optional rows and columns specified on a report in optional forms. More specifically, a sequence of the variable length data may be folded within a print zone laid over a plurality of the rows.
Alternatively, successive individual variable length data sequences might continuously be printed out with no blanks interposed between the successive variable length data sequences. However, interposition of blanks is unavoidable in the conventional print control system. For exmaple, let a certain one of the variable length data sequences be assigned with a print zone of one hundred rows and have an amount of information enough for fifty rows. In this event, the remaining fifty rows are filled with blanks. The following variable data sequence should be printed after the blanks.
In the copending U.S. Pat. No. 4,812,999, application Ser. No. 020,330 filed Feb. 27, 1987, Sinji Ohara, assignor to NEC, proposes a data output control system which can specify column positions in addition to row positions. In this data output control system, each column position and each row position are successively renewed in response to instructions. However, no description is made concerning the print control operation which is carried out after renewal of the row and column positions.